**From Phil Stenholm:**
Another chapter in the **History of the Evanston Fire Department**
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**GOLF, ANYONE?**
Even though budget cuts prevented the Evanston Fire Department (EFD) from fully modernizing according to the National Board of Fire Underwriters' recommendations in 1935, the department remained highly respected throughout the 1930s. So much so that the affluent little village of Golf—a wealthy enclave nestled next to the Glen View Club, just off Golf Road west of Harms Woods—contracted for fire protection from Evanston in 1937. Located three miles west of Evanston's city limits and five miles from EFD Fire Station No. 3, Golf was eager to secure reliable fire services.
Under the agreement, Evanston committed to dispatching one engine company (typically Engine Company 3), one truck company (usually Truck Company 2), and a chief officer to any reported fire in Golf. Additional EFD units would be sent if necessary. The Village of Golf paid a flat annual fee, irrespective of how many times the EFD responded or the severity of the fires. This partnership lasted until the formation of the Glenview Rural Fire Department (later the Glenbrook Fire Protection District) after World War II.
At the time, the surrounding suburban fire departments—Morton Grove and Glenview—were mostly volunteer organizations with limited resources. They had small pumpers and no ladder trucks. Despite being five miles away, with an average response time of 12–15 minutes depending on traffic and weather, the EFD offered both top-tier equipment and well-trained personnel ready to act immediately upon arrival.
Interestingly, the Evanston Fire Department also provided fire protection to the Village of Niles Center (renamed "Skokie" in the 1930s) dating back to the 1920s. This service covered College Hill, a somewhat isolated area in the northeast corner of Niles Center. Residents here had chosen to join Evanston School District 65 and Evanston Township High School District 202 because they wanted their children to attend nearby Evanston Township High School (ETHS).
College Hill was part of a larger five-square-mile tract Evanston had planned to annex to accommodate its growing immigrant and African-American population. However, Niles Center surprised everyone by annexing the land in the 1920s, causing tension and talk of legal action from Evanston. At the time of annexation, College Hill was sparsely populated, and it stayed that way until after World War II. Streets were built in the 1920s anticipating a housing boom, but the Great Depression and then World War II delayed construction. By 1927, when EFD Fire Station No. 4 opened, three of Evanston’s four fire stations were closer to College Hill than the mostly volunteer Niles Center Fire Department, whose station was located at 8031 Floral Avenue.
The National Board of Fire Underwriters even suggested building a fifth EFD station near Grant and Central Park in 1935 because that location would better serve College Hill. Thanks to its ambitious annexations in the 1920s, Evanston's borders stretched far to the east and north of its central core. However, Niles Center’s population, culture, and commerce in the 1930s were still concentrated around the intersection of Oakton and Lincoln. Even Niles Township High School (now Niles East) was built in 1938 at 7700 Lincoln Avenue to be close to its student population.
The Evanston Fire Department responded to alarms in College Hill until January 1949, when the newly opened east-side fire station in Skokie at 8340 Hamlin Avenue began providing local fire protection.
The only other nearby suburban fire department under contract to cover areas outside its borders in the 1930s was the Winnetka Fire Department, which responded to alarms in Kenilworth, Northfield, and unincorporated areas of New Trier Township between Winnetka and Wilmette, including "no-man's land" on Sheridan Road and the exclusive Woodley Road neighborhood northwest of Wilmette.
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**Front-Line Apparatus of Nearby Suburban Fire Departments – Circa 1937**
*Wilmette:*
- 1915 American LaFrance Type 75 750-GPM Triple Combination Pump (TCP)
- 1923 American LaFrance Type 67 city-service truck
*Winnetka:*
- 1919 American LaFrance Type 75 750-GPM TCP
- 1926 American LaFrance Type 14 quad
*Niles Center (Skokie):*
- 1926 Ahrens-Fox 1000-GPM TCP
- 1937 Pirsch Junior 750-GPM / 60-foot aerial quad
*Glenview:*
- 1924 American LaFrance Type 75 750-GPM TCP
*Niles:*
- 1936 Pirsch 750-GPM TCP
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It's fascinating to see how these early fire departments adapted to meet the needs of their communities, often stretching their capabilities to serve areas beyond their formal boundaries. It speaks to the dedication and resourcefulness of firefighters during those challenging times.
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